#cycle trail

[brownhillsbob]

#365daysofbiking - Gaining gradually:

February 13th - Food, sleep and love made me feel better, and heading home on a better and mercifully shorter day I took to the McLean Way that follows the old South Staffordshire Railway line from Ryders Hayes to Brownhills, for a change.

It really is a gorgeous route and when a bit drier I’ll use it loads more. The birdlife here is terrific, as is the relative solitude and peace.

A real gem.

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[brownhillsbob]

#365daysofbiking Bending the light:

January 25th - The mist still hadn’t lifted, and in fact it seemed to be becoming more dense. 

I’d been over to Burntwood for an errand, and came back via Chasewater after dark, getting some shopping in on the way. As I rattled down the bumpy north shore path where it runs between the Rugby Club and Chasetown Bypass, concerned for the fragility of my purchases, I noticed the curving ‘wall of light’ effect of the streetlights on the fog, bending away from me like I was repelling it.

It was one of those moments when an unexpected, mundane scene caught a unique light and became precious. 

Like Clayhanger did  a few days before. Low cloud does have its benefits, I guess.

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[brownhillsbob]

May 12th - And talking of spring and summer colour, nestling in green nowhere, as Vivian Stanshall put it. Just tens of feet form factory yards, a cycle train on a short bit of old railway in Brownhills between Engine Lane and the old Cement Works, or Slough Bridge.

One of those moments where you stop, look and catch your breath it’s so gorgeous.

Even though I felt like shit, I was happy and honoured to see this.

[jontycrane]

Lake Dunstan Trail

Opened in May 2021, the Lake Dunstan Trail is a phenomenal 55km cycle trail between Cromwell and Clyde. The original business case for the trail forecast 7,500 visitors a year. In it’s first year more than 84,000 people cycled it. It can justifiably be called one of the best one day bike rides in the country. I cycled it at the start of 2023, in peak season and perfect (if hot) weather, and found…

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[jontycrane]

Central Otago Rail Trail - Waipiata to Middlemarch

The third and final day cycling the Central Otago Rail Trail, a former railway line turned into a ~150km cycle trail. This was the shortest day time wise, if similar distance to the previous days, as it was pretty much all downhill to Middlemarch. After a scorching hot first day, and damp second day, day three had perfect weather, blue skies but not too hot. It was a misty start in Waipiata but…

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[jontycrane]

Timber Trail - Timber Trail Lodge to Ongarue

Timber Trail – Timber Trail Lodge to Ongarue

An incredible 85km grade 2/3 bike trail through the native bush of Pureora Forest Park, the Timber Trail is one of the best multi-day rides in the country. It is filled with history, amazing scenery, and has the infrastructure to make the logistics of riding in one of the more remote parts of the country (about half way between Auckland and Wellington) straightforward. My second and final day on…

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[jontycrane]

Timber Trail - Pureora to Timber Trail Lodge

Timber Trail – Pureora to Timber Trail Lodge

An incredible 85km grade 2/3 bike trail through the native bush of Pureora Forest Park, the Timber Trail is one of the best multi-day rides in the country. It is filled with history, amazing scenery, and has the infrastructure to make the logistics of riding in one of the more remote parts of the country (about half way between Auckland and Wellington) straightforward. Some people cycle it in…

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[wellingtonnz]

Cycle trail crosses the Shandon Golf Course at Petone, alongside the Hutt river